Four years
by acornsandarrows
Summary: Loosely based on the youtube video 'Black Dahlia' by LoveAndHeartbreak, this is the story of what happens after a certain spacer crashes on a strange planet and meets a certain red-haired mer girl.
1. Chapter 1

Four years. Four long years since the crash. Since he had been stranded on this strange planet, far from his own.

At first it had been hell. What was he going to do here? In a place where there were no solar surfers, no cyborgs and not even any coffee machines.

But as time went by, he got used to it. Sure, it was dull. But he adjusted. He became a sailor, the Earth equivalent of a Spacer, and had some pretty interesting stories to tell by the time the first year on Earth had passed.

But what James Pleiades Hawkins didn't realise was that the biggest adventure of his life was yet to unfold.

"Mermaids?"

Jim put down his mug at stared at the man before him.

"Mermaids" Prince Eric nodded. "Don't look so surprised, Jimmy, our kingdom is well known for our peace agreement with King Triton"

Jim raised an eyebrow, shrugging off the fleeting annoyance and homesickness he felt at hearing his old nickname (which he had always hated).

"Come on!" Eric grinned. "Someone must have told you about the Mer, right?"

"Nope. It never really came up"

"Well, I'm glad I mentioned it. It really puts a sailors mind at ease knowing that someone is looking out for them in case they fall into the ocean and need to be rescued"

"Yeah… my mind's at ease"

Eric clapped him on the back. "Come on, it's nearly time for the ship to depart. Don't worry, if Grimsby's prediction is right, then we've got nothing to worry about tonight"

"You do know that it's bad luck to say something like that?"

"Lighten up Jim. It's my birthday!"


	2. Chapter 2

Jim looked out at the horizon, spotting the dark clouds. With some apprehension, he watched as the ship set sail, cruising steadily out into open sea. At least they weren't going out too far from land, he reasoned. Besides, there's always Eric's "mermaids" if they need help. He chuckled quietly to himself. That prince was one of the more eccentric people he'd met on Earth. He was all right though.

Jim turned from the window, and went into the spare room in his tiny, yet comfortable home. Inside were the ruins of his ship. Day after day, he worked on putting it back together, and though Earth didn't have technology advanced enough to remake it perfectly, it was coming along fairly well.

Half way through the night Jim was shaken from his project by the sound of rain splattering his window. He paused, and gazed out at the sea. To his horror, although not so much surprise (it is bad luck to say things like that you know, Eric) the sea was heaving and rolling beneath the feeble boat. Lightning flashed, and the sail caught fire. Unconsciously, Jim gripped the window sill, watching as the mast caught fire, and fell, splintering the boat's wooden deck. A lone figure stood on the deck. With the aid of his Interstellar Space Academy standard telescope, he managed to discover that the figure was Eric. It was not one of his happier realisations.

Soon, the fire was licking over the remains of the deck, and Jim saw it creeping towards the gunpowder.

The explosion illuminated the whole scene in sharp relief, and Jim grimaced as the figure crumpled, and fell into the ocean.

Jim hesitated a moment, then pushed his door open, grabbing his coat as he went, and stepped out into the pounding rain. It was true that Eric was one of the only good friends he had gained during his time on Earth, Jim not being all that good at befriending people. But Eric had persisted to the point of being a nuisance, and now Jim felt a pang at the thought of him drowning. So he began to look for Eric along the coastline, hoping to find him washed up on a beach.

It was light when he finally began to make his way back to his home on the shore. Jim stepped onto the small cove near where he lived, and froze. Eric's words came flooding back to him, completely forgotten during the events of the previous night_._

'_It really puts a sailors mind at ease knowing that someone is looking out for them in case they fall into the ocean and need to be rescued'_

Jim backed away, until he was hidden by the bushes, not wanting to disturb the two. Eric was lying on the sand, shoeless and unconscious. But, though Jim was glad his friend was alive, he wasn't focusing on the Prince.

There was a girl lying next to him. She gently traced Eric's cheek, her fins furling and unfurling. Yeah, fins. She had the head and torso of a teenage girl, long bright red hair, brighter than Jim had ever seen, and green-blue eyes, and the tail of a fish, scaly, shimmering, green. Jim took a step forward, there was a rustling sound, she looked around, and in a second, the only thing telling him that he hadn't imagined it all were the ripples she had left behind after her dive. Then Eric stirred, and Jim shook his head. Now was the time to help the Prince to the castle, not wonder after mysterious mer people. He walked over to Eric, and helped him up.

"Jim…"

"Come on, let's get you to the castle"

"Jim, there was a girl. A mermaid. She saved me, Jim, just like I told you"

Jim faltered.

"Y-yeah. You were right. Now come on, there'll be people wondering where you are"

**A/N: HI DEAR READERS! **

**So this is my new Ariel x Jim fanfic. Uh. People reading this who are also reading the Peter Pan and Wendy fanfic that I am writing, 'High School', it is on hold. Sorry! It's nearly finished though, and as soon as I can I'll finish it. Um. Yeah. Reviews are always nice! **


	3. Chapter 3

"I've decided"

Jim rolled his eyes.

"You know how Mermaids grow legs when they touch the ground?"

"No, but okay"

"Well, I just get someone to find her, bring her on land, and then we get married!"

"Eric, do you honestly remember what this girl looked like?" Grimsby cut in. He hadn't been too pleased with the idea of his Prince marrying a mer girl, but, as Eric himself pointed out, better married than not.

Eric paused.

"Well… I know she had beautiful eyes. And the most wonderful voice…"

"I think we should send young Jim to find this girl and bring her back"

Jim looked up, his eyebrows raised.

"What did you say?"

"You're the only one who got a good look at the girl. You would be able to find her, correct?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Perfect! Jim, you have to go and bring her back to me" Eric announced.

"Eric-"

"Jim, I love this girl. I need you to do this for me"

Jim looked from Grimsby to Eric, and then sighed irritably.

"Fine"

"Wait, your Majesty, there's one more thing"

Eric glanced and Grimsby, and his face fell.

"Ah, yes. Jim, Tomorrow I'm leaving to meet with the Royal Family in… uh… well I'm going away for a while. But I'll be back in a couple of weeks. Do you think you could have her by then?"

Jim shrugged.

"Sure"

Jim took a deep breath of salty air, and grinned. That he was on this ship to find and retrieve Prince Eric's bride-to-be didn't change the fact that he had missed being on the sea more than he thought he would. He still preferred not to think too much about the fact that Eric was going to marry that girl…

"Mr. Hawkins"

He jumped at the familiar title. The only people who had addressed him thusly were Captain Amelia and the teachers at the ISA. But it was just the man in the crow's nest.

"Mr. Hawkins, you might want to see this"

Jim accepted the telescope, and peered into it. Though less powerful than his telescope, it still did the job, and he saw several shapes on the rocks ahead that resembled mermaids.

"Thanks" he said, before scrambling up the rigging to get a better look. They were lying there, on the rock, some playing instruments, some singing, and some simply sitting. But none of them was that girl.

"Hey, Captain" Jim called "Sir? Would it be okay if you let me off here? I think I should go and look around"

"Sure thing Hawkins. Good luck"

"Thanks"

Jim felt the ship tilt as the anchor was lowered. Then he leapt onto the side of the ship, and jumped onto land. He had been given a pack with food in it, in case the mission took a couple of days, but he hoped it wouldn't.

Soon enough, he was deep in the lush forest.

There was a cracking noise. Jim whipped around. He retraced his steps, pushed a branch back, and found himself staring at a small cove. There were many boulders around the cove, and perched on one of them was a girl.

A girl with bright red hair and a green tail.

"You" she breathed. Jim looked down, half confused, half cautious. But when he looked up into her face again, she was smiling widely at him.

"Uh… I'm supposed to bring you back with me" he muttered, wanting to get this part over and done with.

"You remember the Prince you rescued?"

She nodded.

"Well… he wants to marry you"

The girl jumped so violently that she fell off the rock. Jim managed to catch her, bringing their faces inches within each other.

"So… uh…" Jim swallowed, fully aware that he was blushing and hating himself for it.

"W-will you come with me?"

She nodded again.

Jim was about to begin helping her towards the boat when he paused, smacking himself on the forehead.

"What?" she asked him, one eyebrow raised.

"I forgot to ask your name" he replied, a tiny sheepish smile playing on his lips. She laughed.

"Ariel. My name is Ariel"

"James Hawkins. Or Jim"

**A/N: gah I love these twooooooooooooooo. So adorkable. Anyway, review, favourite, tell me what you thought of this chapter. Next one up tomorrow! **


	4. Chapter 4

Jim walked the whole way back to the boat with Ariel in his arms. It was only when he stepped onto the gang plank when he remembered that Eric had told him mermaids grew legs when they touched the ground. He took a second to rest his face in one of his hands, exasperated (why did this girl make him forget things?) before setting her on the ground.

Immediately, a bright blue glow surrounded Ariel's tail. Jim drew back slightly; watching as it engulfed her, then left, leaving her on the deck in a blue dress and legs. She stood up, slightly wobbly on her new legs.

"I've never done that before!" she told Jim as he helped her to her room. "Which is odd, because I've always wanted to have legs"

"Why would you want legs?"

She shrugged.

"Humans are interesting"

"Too right" Jim murmured.

"What was that?"

"Nothing"

He watched her cautiously for a second, wondering if she would press that matter, but, thankfully for him, they entered her room, leaving her too engrossed to ask him anything else.

They spent a couple of happy hours together, Ariel bringing objects to Jim, Jim explaining what they were called, and what they did. Looking back, Jim wondered how he could have spent so long doing that without getting either bored or irritated. But, for some reason, her delighted smile at each object, no matter how mundane, made him feel happily light headed.

Finally Ariel yawned, stretching her legs out, and then laughing at the unfamiliar, yet satisfactory feeling. Jim stood up, and rolled his stiff neck.

"So… I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

Ariel nodded.

"Well… g'night"

He turned to leave.

"Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"G… good night"

"So, the Prince will be back in a couple of weeks"

"Wait, you mean the Prince isn't even here?"

"No"

"So why did you have to get me so fast?"

Jim shrugged.

"To be honest, it wasn't my idea. Eric thought it might take longer"

"Oh"

"So, do you want to come inside?"

Ariel blinked. Then she remembered that both she and Jim were standing on the doorstep of his home.

"Oh! Yes, okay"

He pushed the door open, and then stood back, allowing her to go inside first. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two until Jim said finally

"Well… what do you want to do now?"

Ariel considered the questions. What did she want to do? _Everything! Everything, everything, everything. I want to go rock-climbing. I want to go dancing. I want to just jump up and down on the Earth just because I can._

Then she remembered something she had heard about.

"Could I try some hot chocolate?"


	5. Chapter 5

"This room is where you'll be sleeping. There's the bathroom… uh… the living room… and… the kitchen. Oh, yeah, and this is my study. But, um, I would prefer it if you didn't go in there. I'm uh… well… yeah, just don't go in there"

"Okay"

"What's that?"

"Uh…oh. That's a puppet show"

"A puppet show?"

"Yeah. It's like, people make puppets out of material, and then perform stories using them"

"And that?"

"That's a café. A place where you can get drinks and buns and other things to eat, I guess"

"Buns…"

"Sweet bread"

"Oh! And-" Ariel paused mid-sentence, eyes wide.

Jim heard the music coming from the small square, and glanced at Ariel.

"Are they… dancing?" she breathed wonderingly.

"Yeah"

"We have to go!" she cried, tugging Jim. "Come on Jim! We have to dance"

Jim sighed.

"Ariel…"

"Jim!"

"Ugh"

"Please? We can't dance underwater, and I've always wanted to! Pleeeeeease?"

"…Fine"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the crowd.

"So, what do we do?" she asked, almost jumping up and down. Jim bit back a laugh and steered her into a fairly open space left in the square.

"Okay. So, you put your hand here…" he pretended not to shiver when she rested her cool hand on his shoulder. "And I put my hand… uh… here…" and he placed his hand on her waist.

"And we just spin around to the music I guess"

But Ariel wasn't listening anymore. There was a moments silence while the band got ready to start another tune. Jim readied himself for the slow turning. Then the music began, and Ariel dived into the centre of the dance, pulling Jim with her.

Ariel laughed. She knew nothing about dancing, but she still knew more than Jim, an awkward adolescent male.

"Lighten up!" she called across the music, taking her hand off his shoulder to poke him on the forehead.

"Now spin me around"

Jim grinned.

"Fine. You want me to spin you around?" Jim grabbed Ariel, and spun her away from him. But instead of stopping, he kept spinning, and eventually they both collapsed on the ground together, laughing.

"Let's go again!" Ariel clapped her hands.

"I don't ever want to stop dancing!"

"Really? I dunno, I think I'd miss sleeping a lot"

"Don't spoil it"

"Sorry"

"Do you want hot chocolate?"

"Yes please!"

Ariel drummed her fingers on the small kitchen table, humming the tune from the dance they had been to the previous night.

"Hey, Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we could go rock climbing today?"

He placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of her, and then retreated to his seat on the other side of the table.

"Rock climbing?"

"Well, I've always wanted to. I mean, I've watched people climb the cliffs on the beach ever since I was young, and now I can do it too!"

"Sure. Okay"

"I'll need to wear… um… what are they called?"

"Trousers?"

"Yes! Trousers. Can I borrow some?"

Jim blushed, and then wondered what it was about this girl that made him do that so often. Damn her, she made him so flustered.

"Fine"

**A/N: ANOTHER CHAPTER**

**WOOT**

**I am running out of things to say here. **

**Um**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these charactersssss **

**REVIEWS PLEASE**


	6. Chapter 6

It was a fairly cool day, with a nice wind and a grey-blue sky. Perfect for rock climbing.

"Okay, you're kind of new at this so you-"

"Race you to the top!" Ariel sprang onto the crop of rock and began to climb up like she had been born doing it. Jim sighed, smiling, and used a nice wide hand hold to begin the climb. He climbed steadily towards the top, Ariel a few paces before him. Then, while he was pulling himself onto a ledge, she grabbed a hand hold much too fragile to hold her up, and began to fall. Instinct took over, and Jim scrambled over, catching her wrist in his hand. She hung there for a few seconds, breathing hard, before looking up at him, grinning sheepishly. Jim laughed, feeling light-headed with relief.

With his help, she climbed up to the ledge with him, and sat there, panting. Finally, she moved into a crouch, ready to start climbing again. Then she paused.

"Um... what were you going to tell me, down at the bottom of the rock?"

Jim grinned.

"Go slow"

"Right. Well… um…"

"Don't worry. You can go fast, because a. you're a great climber, and b. I'll catch you if you fall"

As the words left his mouth, Jim realised what he had said, and slapped himself gently on the face. He glanced at Ariel, and bit his lip. It was true, he realised. If she fell, he'd catch her. Because that's what you did when someone you loved was falling. He shook his head. Someone you loved? He looked at Ariel, preparing to begin again. Someone you loved? Maybe…

"Let's go!" she called.

"Jim?" Ariel peered around the house, checking for him in each room. He wasn't anywhere, his room, the kitchen, his private study. Ariel peeked around the door of his study. It was dark, and there was a large shape on the floor. Briefly she wondered what Jim was working on. What was so important that he had to work on every evening after dinner? Then she shook her head. Now wasn't the time to worry about that. She stepped outside, squinting through the dusk. After a couple of minutes, she spotted him, lying on a pier, just looking at the sky. Silently she approached him, and sat down, dangling her legs over the edge of the pier.

They sat in silence together for a while, both of them looking at the stars. Finally, Ariel broke the silence. She had never seen the stars this well before, and they intrigued her.

"What are stars?"

Jim glanced at her.

"Giant balls of burning gas. Why?"

She shrugged.

"I'm just curious. Do they have names?"

The smile he had at that moment was softer than any other he had shown her.

"Yeah, they do. That group there? You see that?"

"Yes"

"That is called the 'Lagoon Nebula'"

"That's a really pretty name"

"Mmm. And you see that one?"

"The big cloud?"

"Kind of. That's the 'Andromeda Galaxy'"

Jim sat up, tilting his head back to get a better look at the night sky. Ariel sneaked a glance at his face, and was stuck by how comfortable he looked. Telling her about the stars, he seemed a lot more at home than he ever looked in his small house by the beach. His voice was different somehow, and there was a distinct smile playing on his lips, and his eyes glittered. Ariel felt a warm rush in her stomach. She wanted to listen to his voice more.

"Tell me more about the sky"

Jim glanced at her, looking a little nervous, and a tiny bit sad.

"You want me to tell you about space?"

She nodded eagerly, then, leaned forward impulsively and rested her head on his shoulder. She felt him shiver slightly, take a deep breath, and then launch into explaining to her about galaxies and stars and planets, and she realised that she had never felt happier.

**A/N: OMG I really love this chapter. SO FLUFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY AJKSBHDLSDV**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. **

**PLEASE REVIEW? I really love it when you press that button. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Jim, what-"

"Just keep your eyes closed. Come on, we're almost there"

Ariel gripped Jim's hand more tightly, and sighed. She was blindfolded and had no idea where she was going. All Jim had said to her before they left was

"You're going to love this"

Finally, he stopped, and Ariel bumped into him.

"Okay. You can take your blindfold off now"

Ariel reached up, and undid it.

"Well, all I can say is this better be g… good…" She trailed off, staring around her in wonder. They were in the same square she had dragged Jim into about a week ago. Except, it didn't look like the same square. There were candles heaped around the edges of the dance floor, creating the impression that the dancers were swimming through a golden sea. Next to her, Jim was twisting his hands together. Arranging to go to this, for Ariel, had felt so strange, but now, seeing her face, he figured he could live with it.

"So… do you like it?"

Ariel turned. Jim was looking at her with the same tentative expression she had seen that night on the pier. She beamed at him.

"I love it"

A slow, wide grin spread across Jim's face.

"Then let's dance"

* * *

It was nearly midnight when the two stopped dancing, and then they sat by the dance floor, listening to the band.

"Hey…" Ariel began slowly. Jim turned to her.

"Why did you do this for me?"

He stiffened slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… I know you don't much care for dancing. And… I don't know. I mean, I'm glad you did, but I'm just curious"

"You're always curious"

She shrugged.

"Guilty as charged. So, anyway, why'd you do it?"

Jim felt his mouth move without his permission. He saw Ariel's eyes widen, and instantly wanted to disappear. Damn it, why'd he have to go and say that? He wasn't even going to say it! And then his stupid mouth went and betrayed him. But then, Ariel was leaning closer, smiling at him in a radiant way, and then she was kissing him, and he was kissing her back, wondering if it was a dream, and then she was drawing away, resting her forehead on his, and breathing

"I love you too"

**AN: I LOVE YOU TWO SO MUCHH **

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS **

**REVIEW PLEASE**


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